The present invention relates to the field of cosmetic treatments and more particularly to cleansers for the hair.
It is common practice nowadays to wash the hair with a shampoo and then to apply what is called a conditioner or conditioning treatment. The shampoo is a mixture of chemicals intended to remove dirt, oil and sweat from the hair and scalp. The chemicals used in shampoos are necessarily harsh removing essential oils and leaving the hair dry, dull and unmanageable. Shampoos frequently contain sodium lauryl sulfate. Conditioners or conditioning treatments are intended to replace the oils washed out of the hair by shampoos. It is the job of conditioners to make the cleaned hair shiny and manageable.
It does not make much sense to harshly cleanse hair so that essential oils are removed and then to replace these oils. It would make much better sense to utilize a hair cleanser that does not remove oils in the first place. Development of a hair cleanser which can clean the hair without removing essential oils represents a great improvement in the field of hair treatments and satisfies a long felt need of the public.
The present invention is a hair cleanser which cleanses the hair but does not remove essential oils. The hair cleanser of this invention comprises is a mixture of conditioners, cooling agents, emulsifiers, humectants, pH balancing agents, preservatives, thickeners, botanicals and vitamins. The invention may also include astringents, emollients, fragrances, and re-fatting agents. The preferred formulation is:
Notes: 1) PEG stands for polyethylene glycol.
2) Panthenol is vitamin B5.
The present invention does not contain harsh chemicals. Instead it can be thought of as a mixture of conditioners. It has been found experimentally that this invention cleanses the hair and leaves the hair shinier, with more body, and more manageable.
An appreciation of the other aims and objectives of the present invention and an understanding of it may be achieved by referring to the accompanying description of a preferred embodiment.
While the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility.
Conditioners help to make the hair more shiny and manageable. The cooling agent makes the formulation feel cool on the scalp. An emulsifier is a compound which helps to suspend water insoluble components of the formulation in small globules. A humectant is substance which absorbs or retains moisture; examples are glycerol, propylene glycol, and sorbitol. The pH balancing agent controls the pH of the formulation so that it will not bum the scalp or hair. A preservative is added to prevent breakdown of the formulation during storage. Botanicals are natural products which are believed to have efficacious effects on the body. The thickener is added to increase the viscosity of the formulation.
The formulation may also contain up to 5.00% astringent, up to 0.40% emollients, up to 0.60% fragrance and up to 0.10% re-fatting agents. An astringent is a compound that tends to contract or draw together organic tissues. An emollient is a compound that is softening or relaxing to the skin. The re-fatting agent tends to replace fat that is may have been previously stripped from the scalp and hair.
The preferred formulation for the present invention has the following formulation:
Hydrolyzed wheat protein is a naturally derived protein that contains wheat oligosaccharides (carbohydrates) and constitutes a unique hydrating complex offering a combination of moisture-balancing and film-forming properties that work synergistically to give hair better body control, and skin, a smoother softer feel.
Aloe vera is included in the formulation for its cleansing properties. It cools the skin and conditions the hair. Glycerin is has soothing and moisturizing effects. The panthenol is a moisture balancer. The trimethylsilylamodimethicone adds sheen and shine to the hair. The menthol has stimulating, cooling and cleansing effects and increases blood circulation. The sweet almond oil is very moisturizing and works effectively on all skin types. The rosemary extract has anti-bacterial properties and cleans very effectively. The isothiazolinones are biocides which prevent spoilage of the product.
Samples of the above formulation were used experimentally on clients"" hair at a hair dressing salon in the Hollywood area for a some months prior to the submission of this application. Some clients knew that an experimental hair cleansing formulation was being used while others did not. All hair was cleansed as effectively as if a shampoo was used. Clients were uniform in their praise of the effect of this cleanser on their hair. They found that their hair was left shinier, more manageable and with more body that with other shampoo/conditioner combinations they had used. Many wanted to know what the formulation was and when it would be commercially available.
The hair cleanser formulation provided above replaces shampoos and conditioners. The formulation does not contain sodium lauryl sulfate, detergents or other harsh chemicals. When used it does not remove natural oils from the hair and scalp. It does not remove color or dry out the hair.